The present invention relates to brakes and more particularly to a hand brake device especially for wheelchair.
Wheelchairs have been widely used for handicapped people as a convenient vehicle. In many wheelchairs a brake is provided for emergency. Conventionally, operator grasps brake lever to pivot with respect to handlebar for effecting a brake. At this condition, an instantaneous forward movement of wheelchair may occur when operator leaves the passenger. This is disadvantageous. Also, a locking device is provided around wheel. Operator has to bend his/her back to manipulate the locking device. In view of this, it is not convenient. An improvement is proposed wherein operator may pull the brake to effect a hand brake, while push the brake to effect a lock. But, such brake device is activated in a sequence, i.e., first release brake and then actuate the locking in a reverse direction. In the moment of transition, wheelchair may move instantaneously. This is dangerous especially in a slope.
Thus, it is desirable to provide an improved hand brake device in order to overcome the above drawbacks of prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hand brake device mountable on a vehicle such as wheelchair or the like. In the same orientation, the brake lever is capable of pivoting toward handlebar to effect a brake while moving on the ground or pivoting away from handlebar to effect a locking on vehicle while parking. In detail, use hand to pull or push brake lever to pivot for effecting the brake. In this state, then use finger to pull or push an actuator to pivot the actuator to a predetermined position thus locking the vehicle. In unlocking the vehicle, return the actuator to its original position and then release brake lever.
To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention provides a hand brake mechanism mountable on a wheeled vehicle comprising a hand brake device provided on either handlebar and an associated brake provided on wheel. The hand brake device comprises a brake lever including a first hole for anchoring a brake cable, two extended opposite curve members, two opposed recesses, an aperture, a second hole, and a generally half circular groove around the second hole; a body member including a lateral through hole on the upper part for permitting the handle to insert into, an open space with the curve members of the brake lever received therein, two elongate bars received in the open space to serve as pivot of the recesses, a channel on a side, and two opposite dents on the sides of the channel; an actuator including a generally half-circular flange inserted into the groove, a stopper member inserted into the channel, a vertical lever, a slit, and a third hole; and a torsion spring having one end received in the slit and the other end inserted into the aperture, wherein when the brake lever is pulled toward or pushed away from the handle, the brake cable is tautened for braking the vehicle such that the stopper member clears from the channel, and further pulls or pushes the actuator to cause the end of the stopper member to be clung between the dents, thereby locking the vehicle.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.